Countdown to Training Camp: DAY 9 — The linebackers

Mike Peterson (53) chases down a play. (Phil Skinner / pskinner@ajc.com) Birdland – This is the second installment of “COUNTDOWN TO TRAINING CAMP.” Each morning for the next nine days, we’ll take a quick look at a position group before the players report for camp on July 29. They will hit the field for their first practice on Friday. The linebackers are up today. THE REALLY BIG QUESTION: Where is rookie Sean Weatherspoon going to play? During the offseason, we had to ask head coach Mike Smith if the Falcons had any plans to play some 3-4 defense. The thinking was that Mike Peterson, a former middle linebacker, and Curtis Lofton could play inside with Stephen Nicholas and rookie first-round pick Sean Weatherspoon playing the outside spots. The Falcons don’t appear to have the ends to play the 3-4, but they do have four linebackers and some depth at the position. Smith re-stated his love for the 4-3 and discarded the notion of going to a 3-4. Note: There is...